GOLD WING ROAD RIDERS ASSOCIATION TREASURE COAST WINGS FL2-O

Transcription

1 Chapter Director David Morris Monthly Gathering Every 2 nd Weds at Southern Pig & Cattle Restaurant 2583 SE Federal Highway Stuart, FL Contents CD 1 ACD 2 MEC 3 Ride 4 IOY 5 Gathering 6&7 Rides 8 Rider Ed 9 Nancy 10 Sandy 11 Calendar 12 1 GOLD WING ROAD RIDERS ASSOCIATION TREASURE COAST WINGS FL2-O Region A Volume 33 Issue 11 November 2016 MESSAGE FROM CHAPTER DIRECTOR Happy Thanksgiving Our Road Captain, John DuBose, is off to a good start with three rides in November. Our weather has changed and the season will be spectacular. Join in on the great schedule of rides posted on our web site. John discussed a new offering at the Gathering. He will be posting rides that are short notice, usually two or three days notification, when something sparks an interest in a destination that is suggested. It could be a restaurant for lunch that is listed in the Enjoyment Book. Hey, who wouldn t be looking to try somewhere new on the buy one get one free deal? Our Christmas party is just around the corner and there will be a large turnout this year. We have already met the minimum head count requirement at the (Holiday Inn) restaurant. This promises to be the best Christmas party ever, so be sure that you attend. Note that there will not be a Gathering in December! Each year during the fall months, I have been soliciting presentations from our members who had a motorcycle element on their summer vacation. This month s presenters were Jim and Marilyn Rich. Their trip was to the Natchez Trace. They told of the interesting stops along the way, other motorcycle riders they met and they gave a few tips for those that might be considering this destination. Thank you, Jim and Marilyn, for sharing your trip experience with us. Dave Morris, FL2-O Chapter Director FRIENDS FOR FUN SAFETY AND KNOWLEDGE OFFICERS Director of GWRRA Ray & Sandi Garris Deputy Directors East Bob & Nan Schrader Region A Directors Jim & Sue Jackson FL Senior District Director Bill & Gina Berry Bgberry93@tampabay.rr.com Assistant District Director Bill & Cheryl Smith Wcsmith161@gmail.com District Rider Educators Rick & Pam Northrup Asst District Rider ED Ray & Claudia Vega (561) CHAPTER OFFICERS AND TEAM FL2-0 Chapter Director Dave Morris dwm8228@gmail.com Asst Chapter Directors Jim & Marilyn Rich Membershp Enhancement Terry Henderson Road Captain John DuBose Chapter Educators Barry Covard,Nancy Karnell Asst Chapter Educators Larry & Tammy Pounds Motorist Awareness-Open Chapter Treasurer Kathy Prater Chapter Webmaster Barry Covard Newsletter Editor Barb Parish Tech Herb Metalflake Jebb 50/50 Bud Parish Couple of the Year Bud & Barb Parish Individual of the Year John DuBose

2 2 MESSAGE FROM ASSISTANT CHAPTER DIRECTORS JIM and MARILYN RICH The ride to the District Conference in Orlando with Jim & Marilyn Rich, winding through the back roads, was a special treat. A word We observed from your wild flowers Assistant in their Chapter vivid colors Directors along the roadside, (ACD) cattle and livestock grazing in the fields and noted Jim that & the Marilyn Jasmine bushes Rich and Orange Blossoms were in full bloom. Our sense GREAT of smell ROADS, was stimulated GREAT by various PLACES, fragrances GREAT in the air FRIENDS as we rode through these areas. This is much better than the odor of diesel and gas fumes experienced on the busy and fast paced I-95. Another enjoyment Great riding on the roads bike is are seeing the everything objective up of close every without rider, being and obstructed if they by happen a vehicle to window. be great For some places, reason such everything as the seems Pacific larger Coast than life. or There the we Smoky were Mountains, the sun with the so wind blowing past us, with a front row seat to view the world passing by. much the better. It s always fun to return home and share stories and pictures with fellow riders, but Marilyn and I have found that doing a special ride with Alice and I enjoy biking to picnic areas every so often, be it Dubois Park on the intercostal enjoying the view some of the special Jupiter Lighthouse friends takes or a ride the to experience Highland Hammock to a whole Park in different Sebring, FL, level. taking Sharing the scenic ride around the park and stopping at all the lookouts and enjoying a picnic lunch. a spectacular view or an extraordinary experience in real time makes it that much more memorable. We ve also discovered that when a problem occurs The best enjoyment is riding with fellow Gold wingers sharing these opportunities with each and every one that of you may and have sharing been your a individual major aggravation experiences. This were is what you makes alone, riding often a motorcycle turns into fun. a These moments minor irritation make Chapter when O the you re success with that friends. it is. Take every opportunity to go out and ride when you can. Each ride is a unique experience. Deciding where to go and doing the planning is half the fun. Riders and co-riders all provide input on special places they want to see or roads they want to ride. Anticipation builds with every passing day until you finally reach the day of departure. Our routine is to get on the road early, ride until late afternoon, wash off the dust, dirt and road film, and then, favorite beverage in hand, meet for a debrief of the day s ride and pour over the maps to plan the next day s ride. We ve ridden our bike up and down the east coast, all the Mid-Atlantic States, and as far west as the Mississippi River. We ve rented bikes in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Napa Valley, Billings, Montana and Rapid City, South Dakota. When are you going to plan your next ride? Jim & Marilyn Rich, Assistant Chapter Directors

3 3 MEMBERSHIP ENHANCEMENT COORDINATOR TERRY HENDERSON We are so fortunate to be associated with such a great community of Gold Wing enthusiasts. Our Chapter is thriving and growing. Not only do our members enthusiastically join in on the scheduled rides and kick tires but they actively volunteer to take leadership roles and stand up and share their ride experiences at the Gatherings. I want to thank all my friends in the association for welcoming me into the fold and encouraging me to accept the MEC role. In that capacity, I welcome back our snow birds, Ron and Sharon Montgomery, who have come down from Ohio where they spend 6 months of the year. We re all looking forward to seeing you on the rides and at the Gatherings and to all our fellow Gold Wingers, Happy Thanksgiving. May you all be blessed with Friends, Fun, Safety and Knowledge! Terry Henderson, Membership Enhancement Coordinator CANDID SHOTS FROM REGION A RALLY submitted by Barb Parish

4 4 FL2-O Ride Report - Saturday, November 5, Lake Placid - Lead: John DuBose We had 12 riders and seven wings out to enjoy the lakes, Caladium fields and the city of murals. Riders: Lead: John DuBose, Barney/Joan Salzberg, Greg/Percy Comstock, Bud/Barb Parish, Larry Pounds, Barry Covard/Nancy Karnell and Tail was CD Dave Morris/Terry Henderson. Big Red went 135 miles so the riders from the Treasure Coast went around 235 miles, a good days ride Lake Placid is known as the Caladium Capital of the World. Lake Placid has 27 freshwater lakes, beautiful Murals around town depicting history, Toby's Clown School and the historical Happiness Tower which rises 270 feet above ground. There is always something to see or do in Lake Placid, special events, fishing tournaments & even street parties! The name was changed to Lake Placid in 1927 when Dr. Melvin Dewey, creator of the Dewey Decimal System was visiting from Lake Placid, NY and reminded of his home town and went on to make it to his Florida s resort town. We ate at Chef Buddy s Italian Deli then strolled the town, with some enjoying window shopping at Winding Waters Collectibles. We all took a break in John s Park and enjoyed the Bear Mural and shade trees.

5 5 INDIVIDUAL OF THE YEAR John DuBose Why I am THANKFUL for Treasure Coast Wings FL2-O and GWRRA John DuBose First, let me say the best thing for me is the friendships that happen because of riding my wing. I have met so many interesting people over the years because of GWRRA events. Becoming the Chapter Road Captain keeps me out riding looking for those good roads/routes and restaurants that I think both other FL2-O members and myself will enjoy. So get out an enjoy the riding season with FL2-O and if you know a special location share it with us. We have great times-- - just look at all the smiles in the photos attached. BIRTHDAYS 12/2 Metalflake Below is the new one color logo for the back of our chapter shirts. Cost is $20 for wick away polo s and $25 for 50/50 polo s. 12/7 Joe Pisano WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES 12/20 Jim & Marilyn Rich 12/27 John & Peggy DuBose

6 6 OCTOBER 2016 GATHERING Chapter Director, David Morris, called the meeting to order at 7pm at the Southern Pig and Cattle Restaurant in Stuart. He welcomed a full house of FL2-O members and many familiar faces from Chapter FL2-A in West Palm Beach including Bill and Cheryl Smith. David asked me as the new MEC to introduce any new visitors to our meeting. I introduced Shelby Williams and Helen Curtis to the group and asked them to stand and tell us about themselves. Shelby is visiting from Chapter O in Tennessee. She did not ride her bike down but was enjoying her visit with her sister, Helen, who lives at Holiday Out on Hutchinson Island. David announced the fact that several members from FL2-O attended the Rally in Eufaula, Alabama and asked how they enjoyed it. Barry Covard and Nancy said that the weather was great and Nancy won not one, but two, prizes. She said that she was thrilled when they pulled two tickets from the big barrel and called her number. Bud and Barb also enjoyed the Rally. Barry Covard, Rider Ed Coordinator, announced that there were several people who needed to watch the educational film in order to reach the next rider level. He suggested that we might be able to get Ray Vega to make the film available to us at the January Conference in Orlando. Barry will keep us posted. There is also a 2 wheeler rider Ed class coming up soon in Wellington for those who are coming up for renewal. Please be aware that all members need to take the class once every 3 years. Larry Pounds gave us a report on ticket sales. He congratulated Jean for selling 800 tickets. We all enthusiastically applauded her amazing success. There are only 125 tickets left but we can always get more if needed. They are a great Christmas gift to your friends and family. And remember, not only is this an exciting way to enter to win a fabulous 2017 Gold Wing motorcycle but the proceeds from the sale of these tickets allow us to receive Rider Ed classes absolutely FREE! Keep up the great work and thank you, Jean, for your sales expertise! Our Road Captain, John DuBose, is back from Virginia and we re all anticipating some great rides this fall. John led a ride on Saturday November 5 to Lake Placid where we enjoyed a nice lunch at Chef Buddy s. He said that there were 7 Wings and 12 riders who enjoyed the windy roads around Lake Placid, Lake June and Lake Josephine past the Caladium fields and back to Lake Okeechobee. Don t miss the ride this Saturday November 12. We ll meet at Cracker Barrel in Stuart at 9am and Okeechobee at 10:15am and all ride together to a mystery luncheon destination in Sebastian or Melbourne. Future rides will include the following: a trip around Lake Okeechobee to the Tiki Bar at Roland Martin Marina in Clewiston; a luncheon ride to Hotel Jacaranda in Avon Park, and a trip south to the Shipwreck Restaurant in Tequesta led by Jim and Marilyn Rich. It would be fun to select a destination from the amazing choices in the coupon book and put out an inviting anyone who wants to join us to meet at the destination and enjoy the 2 for 1 coupon up to a $20 savings.

7 7 Barb gave a report on the Christmas Party which will replace our Gathering next month on Wed. Dec. 14 at the Holiday Inn on U.S. I in Port St. Lucie. You ll enjoy a cash bar, delicious buffet, prizes and a surprise visit from Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. The theme is Tropical Florida Christmas so bring a wacky gift valued at no more than $5 and we ll do a wacky tropical gift exchange. Many of the ladies will be baking their favorite baked goods for dessert, so don t miss this wonderful Christmas celebration. Barb said that the minimum attendance count necessary to get the great buffet was 30 people. There are 31 people who have already signed up and paid $25 each plus there are still 4 to 5 people who have indicated that they are planning to go. This should be a FUN time for all!!! Bill Smith, the Assistant District Director from FL2-A in West Palm Beach, reminded us that the District Rally will take place at the International Palm Resort in Orlando on March 23, 24, 25 in The theme is Tropical Paradise and you ll enjoy a Chapter Challenge, Talent show, Dinner, Costume Contest, Ice Cream Social as well as outside and indoor vendors selling great Gold Wing gear. Make your reservations early and be eligible to win a $100 prize. The FL2-A event called Wingtoberfest which was originally planned for Oct. 8 was postponed due to Hurricane Matthew. It has now been rescheduled for Sat. 11am-2:30pm on Feb. 18, 2017 at John Stretch Park in Lake Okeechobee. Bill asked us to mark our calendars and be sure to join us for great German food including Brats, Sauerkraut and all the fixins as well as Burgers. There will be an extensive Silent Auction, 7 Grand Prizes including a set of LED lights, full size bike covers and much more. They ll play 7 games and there will be lots of prizes so don t miss it. Go to goldwingfl2a.com for more information. Jim Rich, the new Asst. Chapter Director, conducted the last half of the Gathering. He spoke about the experiences he and Marilyn shared on a fabulous bike ride up the Natchez Trace Parkway. They rode 444 miles on a shady 2 lane road with very little traffic starting at Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN through Alabama. The city of Natchez has a population of 17,000 and features beautiful Antebellum Mansions built by the millionaire cotton producers of the past. The Garden Club bought several mansions and restored them with the help of generous donations. The Garden Club ladies were very aggressive fund raisers who became known as the Blue Haired Mafia. Marilyn said that they rode past lots of cotton fields and enjoyed lovely restaurants that offered a southern specialty called fried green tomatoes. They saw Indian burial mounds, the Historic Birthplace of Elvis Presley in Tupelo, Before MS. adjourning and enjoyed the meeting, the fabulous David thanked Ground Myrta, Zero Tammy Blues and Club co-owned by Morgan Freeman in Clarksdale, Barb for coordinating MS. They the encouraged extra special all dessert of us treat to take which a consisted bike ride on the Natchez Trace Parkway but Jim of had delicious a recommendation. toppings of chocolate, He caramel said, When and peanuts you re for riding the soft south into the sun, ride earlier rather than later ice in cream the day dessert. because Adding the to this sun amazing impedes dessert visibility. treat was Myrta who brought her famous Texas sheet cake with two flavors of chocolate brownies. Thank you, ladies, for all you do to make FL2-0 a Joe and Sandy Pisano gave a report on the Mississippi Rally which they both enjoyed. It was a wonderful place to share great times make Friends and have FUN. friendly, warm event that covered 3 different hotels. The Director was a hoot and the talent show Thank you, ladies, for was fabulous. Dinner was served under a tent and the tour guide took them on a 5-hour ride from all Thank you do you, to ladies, make for Gulfport, MS. past many areas that were dramatically affected all by Hurricane Katrina. Marilyn Rich and John Dubose won the FL2-0 all you 50/50. you do a wonderful do to to make make FL2-0 a place FL2-0 wonderful to a share wonderful place great to share times place great make to times share Friends make great Friends and times and have have make FUN. FUN. Friends and have FUN. Written by Terry Henderson

8 FL2-O Lunch Ride - Saturday, November 12, North to Sebastian/Melbourne - Lead: John DuBose FL2-O had ten wings/twelve riders out for the Mystery Lunch Ride. We broke into two groups. Group 1: Lead John DuBose, ACD Jim Rich, Greg/Percy Comstock, Larry Pounds and Tail Bud Parish. Group 2: Lead Joe Pisano, Sam/Linda Katz, Kemper Smith, Don Sellick and Tail CD Dave Morris. I would like to thank Joe, Bud and Dave for stepping up and helping keep the ride safe with two groups. Big Red went 195 miles today. We stopped in Sebastian for lunch at Squid Lips which is a restaurant built over the Indian River. It was interesting to get up and look out the open-air dining at the fish swimming around while waiting for our food. We had a couple new riders with us today, Don Sellick on his Honda 1300 Interstate and Kemper Smith on his Blue 2012 Gold Wing. Both riders did a good job today. We look forward to their riding with us in the future. After lunch we headed to Melbourne where we crossed over the Melbourne Causeway (Hwy 192) then picked up the River Road south which took us along the river and into AIA where we rode south to Fort Pierce and the famous ice-cream break. 8 FL2-O Lunch Ride - Wednesday, November 16, Ride around Lake Okeechobee Lead: John DuBose Roland Martin s Resort - Tiki Bar - Clewiston FL2-O had four wings and four riders: John DuBose, Bud Parish, Larry Pounds and Joe Pisano. It was another perfect day for a ride and Larry got some good pictures from the top of the dike in Clewiston and Pahokee. Big Red went 215 miles and the rest probably around 135 miles.

9 9 CHAPTER RIDER EDUCATION Barry Covard/ Nancy Karnell Larry & Tammy Pounds Tire Safety I hope we all know the importance of checking our tires regularly. I always checked my tire pressure before I would ride my 25 miles to work every morning by getting down on the garage floor and checking tire pressure and rotating my tires checking for nails. But what made me a believer in using a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) was when riding through the desert in Arizona, many miles from anyplace when Bob Berry our ride leader came over the CB and announced his TPMS just came on so we needed to pull over. We all pulled over and all the guys got down on the ground under Bob s wing and sure enough we found a nail in the center. Collectively we plugged the nail hole and plumbed up his tire. We all then continued our 200+ mile ride home on I-10 without any further problems, only a little later than planned. If Bob had not had the TPMS system on his bike he would have ridden a little further until the pressure got so low his tire would over heat and come apart. Most of us know the feeling of a tire blow out at high speed. But being in the middle of nowhere in the desert on a Sunday afternoon would have meant calling Rescue Plus and most likely spending the night in a motel near where the bike was hauled to In this case it would have been Phoenix. While he would have to pay for a new tire before riding on to Tucson on Monday. The next day I started researching TPMS units on the market and ordered one online. The cost was around $300 but I figured the cost of a new tire and motel bill was more expensive to say nothing about having a tire fail traveling at high speed with Nancy on the back. We most likely would have survived the blowout but I doubt if Nancy would ever get on my wing again. I used that TPMS unit for about two years and it did alert me several times of low tire pressure and I avoided any tire problems. Last year at the Florida District Rally I bought another TPMS that works with my cell phone. It was a FoBo Bike TPMS. Now I open the app on my phone before I ride and the tire pressure and temperature is displayed. And if the pressure or temperature falls outside of the limits I ve put in it will ring and vibrate my phone, alerting me to a problem. The original TPMS that I bought while we were in Arizona was about $300 and the FoBo TPMS is $93. on Amazon. To me this is a no brainer when doing a cost evaluation but the peace of mind of knowing my tire pressure is being monitored when I m riding or when parked makes the TPMS the best safety device that I ve put on my wing. Note: They are available for 2, 3 or 4 wheels. Barry Covard FL2-O Chapter Educator

10 10 RIDE TO REGION A RALLY BY NANCY KARNELL This trip was my first time attending a Region Rally outside of the state we live in. Going to the Region A Rally in Eufaula Alabama seemed like a good idea. Close enough that going in two days made for a very comfortable ride, and going with friends made it even better. Barb and Bud rode with us and Joe and Sandy met us there. As soon as we crossed from Georgia into Alabama we were in Eufaula cute little town that has big old time plantation type homes along its main street being on the river, it was at one time an active river port. We also passed acres of cotton fields that were interesting to see. I never realized that Georgia was so big in cotton. We passed several signs on buildings that read GIN and I yelled to stop as I love a good Gin Martini but was told that was not the type of gin they referring to. DARN!! The rally was nice, could be that I liked it as my name was pulled out of that gigantic bin full of hundreds of tickets TWICE.I first won a floating pool cooler, and on the last night I won a new front motorcycle tire yes, Barry was very happy! Luckily we pulled our trailer so we had lots of room. They kept you busy with games, Bingo and rides. They had planned rides with directions that anyone could take whenever they wanted. We rode thru their Little Grand Canyon which made for a very interesting ride. The resort was nice, rooms were ok, views were beautiful. Food was disappointing but it kept us from eating too much. All in all, it was a great ride, and my butt wasn t even that sore when we got home.

11 11 RALLY REFLECTIONS BY SANDY PISANO During the month of October, Joe and I attended two fun-filled rallies. The first was the Mississippi District Rally. The highlight of that trip was a beautiful ride along the coast from Gulfport (rally site) to Long Beach. This guided tour was led by Mike and Patsy Sweeting. Patsy narrated the five hour ride and shared with us the lingering effects that Hurricane Katrina has had on those coastal towns. The weather was perfect and the tour and lunch were awesome. Our second rally took us to Eufaula, Alabama, for the Region A Rally. This is the third year that we have attended this very relaxing event in beautiful Lake Point Lodge. Both of these events provided the friends for fun, safety, and knowledge that is the mantra of Gold Wing riders. I know that all of us who ride (and co-ride) feel the exhilaration that comes with being on the open road. We are thankful for the beauty of God s nature, the breakfast cooking smells that come with early morning rides, the sunshine (and yes sometimes the rain), cooler temperatures, friendships and families, memories of travelling the glorious roads of our country, and most of all returning safely from a day s journey. I am most thankful for having a husband who maintains the Wing that he so incredibly drives and brings us home safely to enjoy many other biking adventures. Joe, you re the best!

12 12 RAFFLE TICKETS Congratulations!!! DICK & JEAN MANEAGE are STILL the leading sales team For books of tickets to sell Contact Larry Pounds or Barry Covard / barrycov@comcast.net FL2-O Calendar: Rides, Kick Tires, and Gathering FL2-O Lunch Ride - Thursday, December 1, Lead: John DuBose Hotel Jacaranda, Avon Park - Buffet lunch $9.99 Get into the winter season, enjoy pianist Jeff Klein and the South Florida State College Culinary Arts students serving you. Ride will be (9am - 4pm) Leave: Cracker Barrel (Kanner & I-95) Ride to Okeechobee Leave: McDonald s on Hwy 70 (401 NE Park Street, Okeechobee) FL2-O Lunch Ride - Thursday, December 8, Lead: Jim Rich Shipwreck Bar & Grill, Jupiter - Leave: Cracker Barrel (Kanner & I-95) December 14 Chapter Christmas Party- Holiday Inn PSL Buffet Dinner, Dessert Extravaganza and FUN FUN FUN January 7 & 8 Chapter Conference (all welcome) International Palms Resort, Orlando January CRUISE Wingers & Waves Please visit for full event details and to reserve your cabin. Saturday, February 11, Chill Cook-off - FL2-G Fort Sun Sports Cycle & Water Craft (11am - 2pm) Cost $9.00 FL2-O Ride Event: Leave Cracker Barrel (Kanner & I-95) Ride to Okeechobee Leave Okeechobee 9am Dunkin Donuts/BP Gas Station 4993 S. US-441, Okeechobee Saturday, February 18, WINGTOBERFEST - FL2-A West Palm John Stretch Park (11am - 2:30pm) Check out the flyer: Cost: Per Reg. the door $12.00 FL2-O Ride to Event: Leave: Cracker Barrel (Kanner & I-95) March Florida Rally, International Palms Resort, Orlando Thanks ~ To everyone who wrote an article for this month s newsletter: Dave Morris, Jim Rich, Sandy Pisano, Barry Covard, Terry Henderson, Barry Covard, Nancy Karnell, John DuBose and Barb Parish. The End- Thanks for reading!